“Well, they sent me up to roost on a cloud, but I didn't kick. Now they're tryin' to charge me for meals extry. Don't that twelve dollars include meals?” “Oh no, sir. The hotel is on the European plan.” Adna took the shock bravely but bitterly: “Well, all I got to say is the Europeans got mighty poor plans. I kind of suspicioned there was a ketch in it somewheres. After this we'll eat outside, and at the end of the week we'll take our custom somewheres else. Maybe there was a joke in that twelve dollars a week for the rooms, too.” “Twelve dollars a week! Oh no, sir; the charge is by the day.” Adna's knees seemed to turn to sand and run down into his shoes. He supported himself on his elbows. “Twelve dollars a day--for those two rooms on the top of the moon?” “Yes, sir; that's the rate, sir.” Adna was going rapidly. He chattered, “Ain't there no police in this town at tall?” “Yes, sir.” “Well, I've heard they're the wust robbers of all. We'll see about this.” He went back to his women folk and mumbled, “Come on up-stairs.” They followed, Mrs. Thropp murmuring to Kedzie: “Looks like poppa was goin' to be sick. I'm afraid he et too much of that rich food.” The elevator flashed them to their empyrean floor. Adna did not speak till they were in their room and he had lowered himself feebly into a chair. He spoke thickly: “Do you know what that Judas Iscariot down there is doin' to us? Chargin' us twelve dollars a day for these two cubby-holes--a day! Twelve dollars a day! Eighty-four dollars a week! And that breakfast was 'levum dollars and seventy-five cents! If I'd gave the waiter the quarter I was goin' to, it would have made an even dozen dollars! for breakfast! I don't suppose anybody would ever dast order a dinner here. Why, they'd skin a millionaire and pick his bones in a week. We'd better get out before they slap a mortgage on my house.” “Well, I just wouldn't pay it,” said Mrs. Thropp. “I'd see the police about such goings-on.” “The police!” groaned Thropp. “They're in cahoots with the burglars here. This hull town is a den of thieves. I've always heard it, and now I know it.” He was ashamed of himself for being taken in so. He began to throw into the valises the duds that had been removed. Throughout the panic Kedzie had stood about in a kind of stupor. When her father tapped her on the shoulder and repeated his “C'm'on!” she turned to him eyes all tears glistening like bubbles, and she whimpered: “Oh, daddy, the view! The nice things!” Adna snapped: “View? Our next view will be the poorhouse if we don't hustle our stumps. We got to get out of here and find the cheapest place they is in town to live or go back home on the next train.” Kedzie began to cry, to cry as she had cried when she wept in her cradle because candy had been taken from her, or a box of carpet-tacks, or the scissors that she had somehow got hold of.